This invention relates to a disinfecting unit for contact lenses. More particularly, this invention relates to a disinfecting unit for soft lens contact lenses in which the lenses are immersed in a saline solution and heated at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time to accomplish disinfection of the lenses.
Contact lenses are an increasingly popular alternative to eye glasses; and the so-called "soft" contact lenses have solved a number of problems which prevented some people from using contact lenses. It is well known that contact lenses in general, and soft lenses in particular, should be disinfected at regular intervals to prevent eye infection. Disinfecting units have been proposed in the past, but these units have drawbacks or deficiencies of one kind or another.
A known and typical method for disinfecting contact lenses is to immerse them in a saline solution which is then heated for a period of time. An important FDA requirement for disinfecting soft contact lenses is that the lenses be heated for a minimum period of ten minutes at 80.degree. C. However, in attempting to meet this requirement, the problem is encountered of also limiting the maximum temperature to which the lenses are exposed to prevent overheating of the lenses and the promotion of heat aging.